Show Me Jesus – Part 1

Revelation 2:18-23 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”

This last week, Pastor Kyle continued in our Sunday Sermon series on the “Seven Churches of Revelation”. He stated the obvious, that we live in a “fallen” in sin, sick, chaotic and fearful world today, which needs Jesus Christ. But, our Creator father God does not want us to live in fear. Satan wants us to live in fear. It is impossible to mingle light and darkness, likewise it is deadly to mingle Christianity with sinful pagan practices.

Isaiah 9:2, Acts 26:18 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me (Jesus).”

Jesus, in his “high priestly prayer” in John 17:15, prayed to Father God: “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” The reason being that the child of God shows Jesus to the society and culture in which they live  and have a sphere of influence within; picking up and carrying the torch of “the light of Christ” to a lost and dying world to point the way to the “foot of the cross” for forgiveness and salvation, shining the light and sparking a flame in their heart for the Holy Spirit, who is working and preparing. The Lord’s message starts with His authority, then encouragement, moves to admonishment, then ends by challenging us, as the method of reaching people. The Lord’s church is exactly where He wants it to be in society and the culture, like a city on a hill. Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Revelation 2:24-29 “But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on our next post.

In Christ, Brian